penitentiary news stories on Newser

Why We Must Bring Back Flogging

Evann Gastaldo — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 12:53:43 CDT

Prisons were invented to replace “barbaric” corporal punishment—but now, with our prison system failing, there’s only one thing to do: Bring back flogging. Yes, it sounds horrible, writes Peter Moskos in the Washington Post . But “America has a prison problem.” Namely, they cost too much money and they simply...

No Cushy 'Camp Fed' for Madoff

Harry Kimball — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 12:49:01 CDT

Bernard Madoff’s high profile and long sentence will likely land him in a medium- or high-security prison, Bloomberg reports. Though previous white-collar criminals have spent terms at federal prison “camps,” any sentence longer than 10 years makes an inmate ineligible for that cushy treatment. Insiders also say the risk to...

SF Voters Nix Plan to Tear Down Alcatraz

Caroline Zimmerman — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 17:16:33 CST

Alcatraz Island shouldn't be transformed into a global peace center, San Franciscan voters decided in rejecting a measure on Tuesday's ballot. Only 28% backed the non-binding proposal to convert the one-time penitentiary and tourist hotspot into a peace dome, the New York Times reports. But DaVid, the measure's main sponsor,...